Water supply forecasts inform community planning

Dripping Water Faucet

Close up of a dripping chrome faucet with water drops, highlighting water waste, plumbing issues, and the importance of resource management

Despite access to Lake Michigan, parts of the Chicago region face water supply challenges that will worsen without coordinated conservation efforts. Accurate demand forecasts help the state, counties, and communities plan for sustainable water use.

In 2024, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) completed the updated Northeastern Illinois Regional Water Demand Forecast to 2050, a key tool in long-term water supply planning. This new version includes the latest population numbers, plus adjustments were made based on how successfully the previous forecast predicted water demand. Our role in this effort included technical assistance in economics by developing guidance, training CMAP planners in water demand forecasting, and troubleshooting as needed.

The Illinois State Water Survey uses demand forecast data to inform its water supply modeling. In addition, forecasts provide insights to over 200 communities in seven counties (home to 8.5 million people) as they assess water sufficiency and explore conservation and alternative sources. As part of the forecast update, sustainable supply values were developed for water sources in the region and these values are compared to demand, giving first-ever numerical targets of expected water supply shortages.

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Explore the history, impact, and educational power of Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs).

eeLEARN: MWEE 101 is a free, self-paced online course that walks you through the MWEE framework with examples, planning tools, and downloadable resources that you can use immediately.

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Explore the history, impact, and educational power of Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs).eeLEARN: MWEE 101 is a free, self-paced online course that walks you through the MWEE framework with examples, planning tools, and downloadable resources that you can use immediately.Start learning today at the link in bio.

Some partnerships just make sense. Happy Valentine’s Day from IISG! 💕

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Some partnerships just make sense. Happy Valentine’s Day from IISG! 💕

This February marks a major milestone: 30 years of aquatic invasive species outreach by our team! To celebrate, IISG Director, Stuart Carlton, and Strategic Communication Coordinator, Renie Miles, sat down for a Sea Grant Chat with two key figures in IISG’s AIS history: Pat Charlebois, our assistant director and program leader, who spent over two decades leading our prevention efforts, and Katie O’Reilly, who took over that role in 2022. We discussed the evolution of the invasive species issue in the Great Lakes, the shift toward understanding human behavior, and the creative strategies that make this team so effective.

Dive into the full interview at the link in bio.

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This February marks a major milestone: 30 years of aquatic invasive species outreach by our team! To celebrate, IISG Director, Stuart Carlton, and Strategic Communication Coordinator, Renie Miles, sat down for a Sea Grant Chat with two key figures in IISG’s AIS history: Pat Charlebois, our assistant director and program leader, who spent over two decades leading our prevention efforts, and Katie O’Reilly, who took over that role in 2022. We discussed the evolution of the invasive species issue in the Great Lakes, the shift toward understanding human behavior, and the creative strategies that make this team so effective. Dive into the full interview at the link in bio.